Hexed

us. One of them threw his spear at me as he charged. I ducked under it and then he was on me, his long knife drawn, and we each grabbed the other’s sword arm as he bowled me to the floor. We rolled around, each trying to gain advantage.
    His breath was hot in my face—fiery, as a matter of fact—and those bulging muscles weren’t an illusion. I had to draw on some power from my bear charm to keep him at bay.
    » You killed my father, « he snorted in a basso profundo rumble. » Prepare to die! «
    » Inigo Montoya? Is that you? « For a moment I had no idea who he was talking about, then I realized he must have been referring to the large ram that escaped during the battle at Tony Cabin. » Oh, I know who you mean now, « I said as we grappled. » Hey, I didn’t kill him. That was Flidais, I swear. You can find her in Tír na nÓg, or I could send her a message if you like. No? «
    Moralltach hacked through his spine before he could answer, and he fell lifeless on top of me.
    » Oof. Thanks, « I said to Leif as the vampire kicked its corpse off me; the demon had already begun to soften and dissolve into sludge. Leif had sent the other ram back to hell as well.
    » Well, get up, « my lawyer said impatiently. » Remember the clock. «
    » It might not be ticking anymore, « I said. » I think these fellas were the demons necessary for the ritual. Look along the wall there. « I pointed to some dimly glowing runes around the stairwell. » And check out these markings on the floor. These rams were bound here, and judging by the amount of filth, they’ve been here for some time. «
    » There could be more of them upstairs, « Leif pointed out.
    » You’re right. Better safe than dead. «
    » How many grenades do you have left? «
    » Three. «
    » Very well, we will follow the same procedure as before, « Leif said, sheathing Moralltach and walking over to where the golem’s head had fallen, sagging dangerously into the floor, » but do not hold anything back this time. «
    He was about to pitch it from where he stood, near the center of the building, but I cautioned him that perhaps we should move back to the far eastern edge and proceed from there. » I’ll toss my grenades all toward the elevators and stairs, clearing out the middle of the floor, and when we go up, we make sure to clear out these back edges first so we can’t get taken from behind. If they’re smart, they will have stationed someone there at the corners. «
    » I am chill with that, « the vampire said stiffly, tossing the half-ton boulder up and down like it was a tennis ball as he walked to the far edge of the building with me.
    » You’re trying to be cool now , Leif? Seriously? «
    » I am the shit, home slice, straight up, « he replied.
    » No. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is a great effort, but you still need to use more contractions. And your tone is so formal, it’s like you’re complimenting the pudding at a duke’s dinner party. No one’s ever going to believe you’re from the hood. But let’s work on it later. Right now there are some witches up there in dire need of just deserts. «
    » Fucking H! « the vampire shouted, shaking his free left fist. He enunciated the g very clearly and projected his voice from his diaphragm, like a trained opera singer.
    » It’s fuckin’ A, not H, but yeah, Leif, go ahead, let’s throw down. «
    Leif paused and frowned. » Do you not mean we should throw up? «
    » No. See, when you throw up you’re vomiting, but when you throw down you’re starting a fight, as in throwing down the gauntlet. «
    » Ohhhh, « he said. » I thought you were speaking literally. «
    » I do beg your pardon. Let’s literally throw up, but figuratively throw down. «
    Leif threw up. He hurled the boulder through the ceiling with so much force that it plowed not only through the third floor but also through the roof. I don’t know where it landed. I lobbed my three grenades after it to the left, center, and right and waited for them to explode. Once they did—and this time we heard screams, along with more shattering glass—Leif chucked me through the hole and I faced the northeast corner.
    A witch was standing there, as I predicted—and it was the brunette who’d killed Perry, whose nose I had broken at the widow’s house. There was no attempt to sling any spells my way; she had a handgun pointed at me and proceeded to fire without ceremony, her teeth bared in a feral snarl as she did her